Best itinerary for Alaska
We had a whole summer repeat trip planned for Oregon and now wife seems to have decided to go to Alaska instead. We have July, August and Sept. Can someone guide me in a few campsite stops, best r...
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All good advice. My advice to add. Don't speed thru Canada nor Alaska. I don't recall ever driving over 35 mph. Keep the speed down for 2 reasons.
1) Frost heaves. We found that generally they'll mark frost heaves. Maybe an orange cone, maybe a stick with orange tape. Or maybe they won't get a frost heave marked. Some of these can be quite pronounced. We saw an empty flat bed semi go all wheels airborne hitting an unmarked frost heave. Came across 2 cars on their tops in the bush at frost heaves, probably as a result of those frost heaves.
2) An important reason for keeping the speed down - critters. Slow down and you'll likely see all kinds of critters. And hopefully slow enough you can stop when that moose or bear decides to cross the roadway just as you're in the same spot. Keeping the speed down gives you a better chance of stopping before being stopped by a large moose. A full grown moose is a big critter. You will not win in a bumper contest with a moose. Law of superior tonnage. We came across a Dodge pickup right after he had hit a small young moose. Buckled the front frame of the pickup where the engine was shoved back to the firewall, the front tires were even with the front of the door and the dash was moved back several inches into the cab area. The moose didn't fare well either. We had a big female and calf come out of the brush straight for the side of my pickup while on the Dalton Highway. She was close enough I could have almost touched her. Her head was taller than the cab of my F-350 4X4. The people behind us thought she had hit us.
Canada and Alaska are trips to be enjoyed. Slow down and enjoy the scenery and critters. Rushing and you'll miss it.
1) Frost heaves. We found that generally they'll mark frost heaves. Maybe an orange cone, maybe a stick with orange tape. Or maybe they won't get a frost heave marked. Some of these can be quite pronounced. We saw an empty flat bed semi go all wheels airborne hitting an unmarked frost heave. Came across 2 cars on their tops in the bush at frost heaves, probably as a result of those frost heaves.
2) An important reason for keeping the speed down - critters. Slow down and you'll likely see all kinds of critters. And hopefully slow enough you can stop when that moose or bear decides to cross the roadway just as you're in the same spot. Keeping the speed down gives you a better chance of stopping before being stopped by a large moose. A full grown moose is a big critter. You will not win in a bumper contest with a moose. Law of superior tonnage. We came across a Dodge pickup right after he had hit a small young moose. Buckled the front frame of the pickup where the engine was shoved back to the firewall, the front tires were even with the front of the door and the dash was moved back several inches into the cab area. The moose didn't fare well either. We had a big female and calf come out of the brush straight for the side of my pickup while on the Dalton Highway. She was close enough I could have almost touched her. Her head was taller than the cab of my F-350 4X4. The people behind us thought she had hit us.
Canada and Alaska are trips to be enjoyed. Slow down and enjoy the scenery and critters. Rushing and you'll miss it.
